Afternoon storm risk is the line that matters. Everything else is comfort. In summer, plan to be off the ridge before the build-up starts, not as it starts. Forecast for the summit point, adjusted for its elevation · data from Open-Meteo.
Colorado 13er · South Slopes from Emerald Peak
Overview
Iowa Peak is a soft-ranked summit in Missouri Basin, on the ridge between Emerald Peak and Missouri Mountain. It's almost always climbed together with Emerald.
The Missouri Gulch Trail takes you over Elkhead Pass. You drop into the basin, cross to a ramp that leads onto Emerald's north slopes, climb Emerald, then cross the wide Emerald-Iowa saddle and walk about 500 feet up Iowa's gentle south slopes. It's Class 2.
Emerald and Iowa together are about 14 miles round trip with 5,900 feet of gain.
Plan of the day
Start by
By 5:30 a.m.
Turnaround
Be on Emerald by 11 a.m.
Crux
Mostly the length and the climb back over Elkhead Pass.
Route-finding
Moderate. Find the ramp past the lake east of Iowa.
Water
Missouri Gulch creek and the basin's lakes. Filter it.
Chaffee County Road 390 leaves U.S. 24 between Leadville and Buena Vista. Coming from Leadville, it is about 20 miles along the highway heading south; turn right. Coming from Buena Vista, it is 14.5 miles heading north; turn left.
County Road 390 is a good dirt road that normal cars handle fine. After 7.5 miles you will see the Missouri Gulch trailhead sign. Make a left there and head down to the big lot, where restrooms are available. Because Belford and Oxford hikers share it, the lot can fill on summer weekends. The route enters the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness, so wilderness rules apply.
Trail in the treesTundraRidgeExposed to lightning
The line is elevation, the band underneath is the ground, and the numbered dots match the steps below. Mileage and elevations are approximate.
1
Missouri Gulch trailhead 9,650' · 0 mi
Cross the Clear Creek bridge and climb many switchbacks in steep forest, then head south up the gulch. Cross the creek on a small log bridge near 10,800 feet.
2
Treeline 11,300' · 1.6 mi
Pass an old shack and leave the trees on a good trail.
3
Belford junction 11,600' · 2 mi
Keep right and continue south up the gulch.
4
Missouri junction 12,600' · 3.5 mi
Keep left toward Elkhead Pass.
5
Elkhead Pass 13,220' · 4.25 mi
Look southwest into Missouri Basin. Drop 200 to 300 feet on the trail, then leave it and traverse toward Emerald.
6
Ramp 13,000' · 5.6 mi
Cross a big flat area east of Iowa, pass a small lake, and take a ramp up onto Emerald's north slopes.
7
Emerald Peak 13,904' · 6.5 mi
Climb the left side of the north slopes, step right around a rocky patch, and walk the last pitch.
8
Emerald-Iowa saddle 13,350' · 7 mi
Retrace your steps to about 13,500 feet, then angle north to the broad saddle.
9
Iowa Peak 13,840' · 7.4 mi
Walk about 500 feet up easy south slopes.
Getting down
The best way down is back to the saddle and the ramp near 13,000 feet. For a shorter way, head north from the top. Just before the low point toward Missouri, a loose Class 2 slope drops east back to where you left the trail this morning.
If things go wrong
The saddle leads back toward the ramp and the basin.
3D flyover
No 3D flyover for this peak
Past Elkhead Pass the route leaves the trail. A flyover only works when there is a set trail to trace. Without one, the line would be a guess, and a guess could send you the wrong way on the mountain. Use the step-by-step route with a good map and GPS track instead.
See the trail on video
No video yet
We haven’t found a good video of this route that matches the way we describe it. The route strip, junctions and 3D flyover show the way in the meantime.
This describes the route on a dry summer day. Most 13ers see few people, so there may be no one along behind you. Check recent conditions the week you go, carry a map, tell someone your plan, and turn around when the day tells you to.